[Masks IC] Resurrection Roundabout: Drawing Individuals

[Thanqol]

Locker: ok you were right on this one bode ill give you that
Angel-IKA: ;-; nuuuuuuuuu errant
Bode: Hm.
Angel-IKA: Oh man, can we, like, do something for her? Like write a card or something? Or just, idk, comment on her fanpage or something?
Locker: idk brainstorm was onto something here. hes tricking her to giving up the lead and errant is messing it up
Angel-IKA: She's "messing it up" because she's sad you - you!!!
Dominus: SHUT UP. DO SOMETHING USEFUL WITH YOURSELVES. CHECK OUT THOSE PREMIUM VIDEOS AND SEE WHAT YOU CAN LEARN.
Ferraphim1tp: Good idea, Dominus. I'll - THEY COST HOW MUCH? o.O
Locker: jfc
Ferraphim1tp: Oh that's the premium plus package that also includes... "bath time" O.o;;
Locker: yeh still out of my price range
Angel-IKA: Did she say premium because I think I purchased the wrong thing >.>;;
Bode: I will remind you that videos on the topic of manufacturing illegal weaponry are themselves illegal.
Angel-IKA: ._.;; how illegal
Bode: Very illegal.
Angel-IKA: um
Angel-IKA: Ferraphim how do I erase my browsing history?

*

Comstar flinched in the face of Errant's rant, biting her lip and lowering her eyes to the ground. She at least seems to be capable of feeling guilt in the face of this. But you might have been onto something before, Brainstorm, if you press her a little harder.

[Balmas]

Errant's cheeks obligingly flush the most adorable shade of red. She sputters something about public decency laws and is halfway to burying her face in her hands before Brainstorm accidentally throws her a branch, which she grabs with 300% more force than the situation calls for.

"Because Rx mining is illegal, you dipshit. It's literally the most illegal thing she's admitted to today! Are you kidding me, after everything she's put us through today?! Gosh, why would the auteur genius be attracted to a life of high profile crime when she could be in a lab writing papers? It's a mystery! Jesus, why are smart people so stupid?"

'Hold it together' has officially fallen apart. Her professional demeanor is broken, even the version that does its level best to pretend to be evil to save a friend, and all that's left is a worn out, frazzled, pissed off Korean girl with a painfully blistering back.

"And you, B-2664! How dare you act so buddy-buddy when you're pulling such dangerous stunts! I knew you were abusing the tech but I never in a million years thought you were crazy enough to mine it! I respected you! I tried to reach out to you despite everything and you just--!"

Oh boy. Somebody needs to cut her off or she'll be in tears in another moment...

Brainstorm sputters like an engine denied its gasoline, before surging to his feet. "Tell me, do you actually think before speaking, or do you just open your mouth and let spill out whatever random drivel comes to mind? I'm honestly curious."

He spins, and stabs one needle-tipped finger at @SARAHPHIM. "Futureless gutter-trash." At Ferra. "Calculator." At himself, finger hooked viciously. "Comatose, paralytic potato." Swings back around to Errant. "Skin graft."

"That's what we are in a world with no pepper. That's what we'd be without technology pulled in from other universes. You want that? Want everyone without corporate sponsors or self-interested shadow militaries to just go without, now that you've managed to get your share of life-saving kit?"

He spins and jabs a finger at Comstar. "You know what that technology represents? That's selectively going through the multiverse and choosing which one to pull from. That's pepper grinding without the risk of the invasion of mongol martian mooks. That's the entire spread of human potential at our fingertips, available in a safe fashion. That's hope for billions of people.

"Why am I curious that she's robbing a bank? Because the person who manages to safely and selectively pull technology from the void like that is going to be hailed as the next Leonardo da-fucking-Vinci rolled up in a ball of Einstein. Legal? Who gives a flying fuck about legal? Not the megacorps, not the governments even. You publish that crap, the world will revolve around you so fast the bank will sell you the journal for half a stock in what you're selling."

He shakes his head scornfully. "So, how about you pack up your Javert-24601 bullshit, and go play tin soldier somewhere else? The geniuses are talking."

[Balmas]

Errant's cheeks obligingly flush the most adorable shade of red. She sputters something about public decency laws and is halfway to burying her face in her hands before Brainstorm accidentally throws her a branch, which she grabs with 300% more force than the situation calls for.

"Because Rx mining is illegal, you dipshit. It's literally the most illegal thing she's admitted to today! Are you kidding me, after everything she's put us through today?! Gosh, why would the auteur genius be attracted to a life of high profile crime when she could be in a lab writing papers? It's a mystery! Jesus, why are smart people so stupid?"

'Hold it together' has officially fallen apart. Her professional demeanor is broken, even the version that does its level best to pretend to be evil to save a friend, and all that's left is a worn out, frazzled, pissed off Korean girl with a painfully blistering back.

"And you, B-2664! How dare you act so buddy-buddy when you're pulling such dangerous stunts! I knew you were abusing the tech but I never in a million years thought you were crazy enough to mine it! I respected you! I tried to reach out to you despite everything and you just--!"

Oh boy. Somebody needs to cut her off or she'll be in tears in another moment...

Brainstorm sputters like an engine denied its gasoline, before surging to his feet. "Tell me, do you actually think before speaking, or do you just open your mouth and let spill out whatever random drivel comes to mind? I'm honestly curious."

He spins, and stabs one needle-tipped finger at @SARAHPHIM. "Futureless gutter-trash." At Ferra. "Calculator." At himself, finger hooked viciously. "Comatose, paralytic potato." Swings back around to Errant. "Skin graft."

"That's what we are in a world with no pepper. That's what we'd be without technology pulled in from other universes. You want that? Want everyone without corporate sponsors or self-interested shadow militaries to just go without, now that you've managed to get your share of life-saving kit?"

He spins and jabs a finger at Comstar. "You know what that technology represents? That's selectively going through the multiverse and choosing which one to pull from. That's pepper grinding without the risk of the invasion of mongol martian mooks. That's the entire spread of human potential at our fingertips, available in a safe fashion. That's hope for billions of people.

"Why am I curious that she's robbing a bank? Because the person who manages to safely and selectively pull technology from the void like that is going to be hailed as the next Leonardo da-fucking-Vinci rolled up in a ball of Einstein. Legal? Who gives a flying fuck about legal? Not the megacorps, not the governments even. You publish that crap, the world will revolve around you so fast the bank will sell you the journal for half a stock in what you're selling."

He shakes his head scornfully. "So, Euna, how about you pack up your Javert-24601 bullshit, and go play tin soldier somewhere else? The geniuses are talking."

[Eldest]

Ferra tilts her head, looking at Comstar. "Errant, Brainstorm is correct. This does not make sense. If she was simply after attention, there are other ways to get it, that do not involve this degree of risk for this specific target." She pauses for a moment, looking down at Comstar. "And, if I may make a suggestion? While I am not allowed to encourage you to break the law, I would in your place consider carefully who you want as your audiance. While the viewers of your stream are, hm, enthusiastic, they are not going to be stable or dependable. I would think instead on what you want your niche to be, here."

[PhoeKun]

She's got her hands on his shirt and is lifting him into the air before anybody can blink. Her eyes are cold, and there's a sneer on her lips that belongs in some alternate universe.

"Try calling me selfish again, you self absorbed little prick. Tell me it's greedy to not want people to explode, or lose themselves, or get warped out of existence entirely. Come on, try it again! Why don't you call me a puppet this time? I just want to hoard the most dangerous substance in the universe for my corporate masters! Sure, Rx almost ended the world, but it's fine because she made it safe! No, wait. She uses it to make fucking bombs and sets them off in people's faces. But that's fine too, since you'll make it safe! Praise Victor, savior of mankind! Because it worked out soooooo well the last time you had a brilliant idea, right?"

Her words hang in the air, along with her ragged breath. And then as suddenly as she'd grabbed him, Errant drops Brainstorm back on his feet. She claps a hand over her mouth. Shakes her head. But it's too late, she's already said it. Her eyes dart around, looking for a friendly face. There's nothing. Her mouth feels dry, and she can still taste the technicolor tang of pepper on her tongue. She takes a step backwards. Two.

Then she runs.

[Balmas]

That's not fair wars with Damn straight in Victor's throat, while I trusted you, you bitch goes for the flank. What actually emerges is a strangled "Grrk-!" Then she's gone, and he hits the ground hard.

He has to get out. He stays here, and there will be questions. Awkward questions. What did she mean, kind of questions. Coughing, hacking, he stands. Doesn't meet @SARAHPHIM's gaze because if he does, he's going to break down crying and dammit you shouldn't cry in front of your heroes.

But Ferra... He can't help but send a hunted stare in her direction.

Damn it all, Errant, why'd you have to poke at that?

Then he's at the wall, shoving a fist through a window, and tumbling out onto the fire-escape in a shower of glass. He can't deal with this right now. Can't deal with Ferra, with Errant, with all of the rigmarole of this pointlessness. Needs air, needs light, needs open spaces.

He doesn't stop running until he's at the top of the roof, staring out over the city. After choosing a chromed gargoyle to dangle over, he sighs and triggers the autodial program.

The phone takes too long dialing, like it always does, but eventually it picks up. "Good news, Mami: we're not dead."

[Eldest]

Ferra stares back owlishly, unblinking, as he flees. She turns to Saraphim. "You may wish to pursue one or the other of them. I will guard Comstar." She picks up the super villain, carefully carrying her out of sight, down the street, down an alley, and into a quiet lot that was shielded from view. "I have some questions. I will not be threatening you for them, or trying to bribe you. But I would like some answers."

[Raz_Fox]

@SARAHPHIM posted a poll: Who Was Right?

• Brainstorm’s Brutal Bitchfest?
• Errant’s Furious Freakout?

Comment below!

***

Okay, that’s the dictates of show biz out of the way. Time to deal with Errant. Ohoho, but she’ll deal with that smart-mouthed punk dragging up her history on-stream later. Errant’s the one blowing out fierce, and as such, Errant gets first priority.

Where’s she catch up with the poor gal, anyhow?

[Thanqol]

@SARAHPHIM posted a poll: Who Was Right?

• Brainstorm’s Brutal Bitchfest? Locker Ferraphim1tp
• Errant’s Furious Freakout? Dominus Bode

Comment below!

***

Angel-IKA: Are we really doing this ><
Locker: it doesnt matter if errant was right. brainrmsfd brian was making a play to get into the villans head. idk why errant got so yelly about ti given she did the exac tsame thing like five minits ago
Dominus: IF IT WERE JUST THAT THEN BRAINSTORM WOULD NOT BE MELTING DOWN RIGHT NOW.
Locker: eh
Dominus: AND THE PRINCIPLE WAS TOO IMPORTANT TO CONCEDE. COMSTAR FELT NO GUILT UNTIL ERRANT TURNED ON HER. IT'S ONLY THROUGH MOMENTS LIKE THAT PEOPLE SEE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS.
Bode: This statement does not match with your supervillain persona.
Dominus: SUPERVILLAIN IS A POLITICAL LABEL APPLIED TO ENEMIES OF THE CORPORATE-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX.
Ferraphim1tp: Are you for real right now? o.O
Dominus: WHY WOULD I NOT BE? THREE FORCES BROKE INTO A BANK VAULT TODAY. TWO OF THEM WERE BACKED BY MEGACORPORATIONS, AEGIS AND BLACKSUN. ONE OF THEM STOLE A VALUABLE RELIC FROM THE OTHER. NEITHER OF THEM ARE GETTING THE "SUPERVILLAIN" TREATMENT COMSTAR IS GETTING.
Ferraphim1tp: Comstar literally chained a bunch of office workers to a comedically large bomb and gave them puzzle codes to figure out which wire to cut.
Dominus: EXACTLY!
Locker: wait are supervillains bad or not
Dominus: COMSTAR IS INSANE. SHE NEEDS TO BE TAUGHT RIGHT FROM WRONG. WHAT ERRANT WAS DOING WAS IMPORTANT. BRAINSTORM WAS FEEDING HER INSANITY. IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE A SUPERVILLAIN THEN YOU MUST GO INTO IT WITH CLEAR EYES - THIS DISCOUNT CYBERPUNK DYSTOPIA WILL NOT BE OVERTHROWN BY LUNATICS TOO SELF-OBSESSED TO SEE THE BARS OF THEIR CAGE.
Locker: ahhh ok youre one of those political supervillaisn
Dominus: THAT'S RIGHT. I BELIEVE IN HAVING A GOVERNMENT.
Locker: lol the 21st century called

Then he's at the wall, shoving a fist through a window, and tumbling out onto the fire-escape in a shower of glass. He can't deal with this right now. Can't deal with Ferra, with Errant, with all of the rigmarole of this pointlessness. Needs air, needs light, needs open spaces.

He doesn't stop running until he's at the top of the roof, staring out over the city. After choosing a chromed gargoyle to dangle over, he sighs and triggers the autodial program.

The phone takes too long dialing, like it always does, but eventually it picks up. "Good news, Mami: we're not dead."

"Too bad," came Mami's voice. She has a soft and grandmotherly wheeze that tapers off into razor sharp points. "I will not be a true mad scientist until I have reason to raise the dead. Speaking of people who are going to be dead, what did you do to those beautiful implants to break them so badly? Have you no respect for your body? Your body that I crafted with my own poor aching hands?"

Ferra stares back owlishly, unblinking, as he flees. She turns to Saraphim. "You may wish to pursue one or the other of them. I will guard Comstar." She picks up the super villain, carefully carrying her out of sight, down the street, down an alley, and into a quiet lot that was shielded from view. "I have some questions. I will not be threatening you for them, or trying to bribe you. But I would like some answers."

"This would have been a much easier fight if you guys had opened with the emotional breakdown," said Comstar dreamily. "But that's okay. You're okay, Ferra. I had a good day today. @Sarahphim really is something magical, how she handled that."

She suddenly broke into a bright grin. "Oh! I know! Let's play a game! For every question you ask me I get to ask you one! Can't get fairer than that, right?"

Her words hang in the air, along with her ragged breath. And then as suddenly as she'd grabbed him, Errant drops Brainstorm back on his feet. She claps a hand over her mouth. Shakes her head. But it's too late, she's already said it. Her eyes dart around, looking for a friendly face. There's nothing. Her mouth feels dry, and she can still taste the technicolor tang of pepper on her tongue. She takes a step backwards. Two.

Then she runs.

Banks like to fancy themselves as respectful. Institutions. Pillars of the economy. Things with history. Anything other than just another box filled with clerks and software. It's part of the brand.

So this bank was an old state capital; a big domed white stone building with a double fight of stairs leading up to it from a wide open courtyard. Water fountain, park benches with the names of previous chief execs engraved into them. Nice public park like that would get firstly, a lot of rain, and then, a lot of freeloaders. So there's a horrible little invention of hostile architecture at work here: the Limited Rain Shield.

The skies in this city are constantly pouring down chill rain, as you know. But the park is covered by a thin force field that causes the rain to smoothly slide off, leaving the area perfectly dry and warm. Unless you are poor. There is no place for poor people in a park like this. The rain shield smoothly and automatically opens targeted little holes to let the rain fall on poor people who happen to be standing in the park. One of those many little Megacorporate messages that say: Move along. A place this pretty is not for you. The effect is almost cartoonish, like having a little stormcloud follow you along raining on you constantly.

The rain is falling in your face.

Over there, on the other side of the park in the sunlight are about forty BlackSun employees, arming up and checking the seals on their TAG support.

It's a lonely moment, for a moment.

Okay, that’s the dictates of show biz out of the way. Time to deal with Errant. Ohoho, but she’ll deal with that smart-mouthed punk dragging up her history on-stream later. Errant’s the one blowing out fierce, and as such, Errant gets first priority.

Where’s she catch up with the poor gal, anyhow?

The rain doesn't fall on you, @Sarahphim. You have Made It.

[Eldest]

"This would have been a much easier fight if you guys had opened with the emotional breakdown," said Comstar dreamily. "But that's okay. You're okay, Ferra. I had a good day today. @Sarahphim really is something magical, how she handled that."

She suddenly broke into a bright grin. "Oh! I know! Let's play a game! For every question you ask me I get to ask you one! Can't get fairer than that, right?"

She pauses, sighing. She'd picked up the mannerism from Errant, and it fit remarkably well at times. At others, she felt like a puppet dancing on coded strings, to abuse a metaphor older than this city, with a painted on face that mimicked the people around her as best it can. This was one of that latter times. "Games need rules. There's no obligation to answer a given question, but we're trading answers. And please don't record or steam this." She pauses, before stepping forward off the conversational edge. "You have used a Rx fueled process to pull an alternate version of yourself to this timestream. How does that work, not technically speaking but practically? You overheard Sarahphim's concerns about my, well, existence. I must admit... concern."

[Raz_Fox]

Oh nooooo it looks like the Rain Shield got busted in the attack!! What with those two pinprick laser burns that shorted out the control vanes, flowering out in an iris above that really tacky fountain. This does nothing to stop it from raining on Errant, but it means that everyone’s equal in the eyes of ZEUS MARK FIVE, the rogue drone in control of half the city’s weather patterns.

“You wound too tight,” Sara says, throwing an arm over Euna’s shoulder. It insists on being there. You will be comforted, goddammit. “Like, I get it. Brain’s brain shuts off when he sees new tech, he’s rude as hell, wanna kick him in the shin except he wouldn’t feel it. But you blowing up says to me that you need some TLC. My treat after we get back, okay?”

She stops, looks Euna in the eye through some sopping wet bangs. Vulnerable, for a moment. A branch, extended. “Cuz you’re not the person who nearly punted Victor through a window for being a bitch. You’re the badass who just outsmarted Comstar, outlasted a fucking megatrooper whaling on you, and saved the day like it was nothing. Didn’t even give me the chance to showcase my new tricks. And it’s super hard to keep that in mind when you feel down, but I got it all on tape. So let’s just go throw Commy in jail and get massages, ‘kay?”

[Double sixes on Comfort.]

[Balmas]

"Too bad," came Mami's voice. She has a soft and grandmotherly wheeze that tapers off into razor sharp points. "I will not be a true mad scientist until I have reason to raise the dead. Speaking of people who are going to be dead, what did you do to those beautiful implants to break them so badly? Have you no respect for your body? Your body that I crafted with my own poor aching hands?"

A dry grin spreads across Victor's face, and he rolls onto his back. "I live to disappoint, ma'am. And, putting aside the old ship of Theseus debate, that'd be because of a nanopulsar. You'll never guess which of your grandchildren gave it to Blacksun."

[PhoeKun]

It hurts. Victor's words hurt, her retort hurts too. And the rain hurts most of all. You would of course think that the cool water would be soothing on her burns at least, but you do not understand how the rain works in this city. It's unnaturally cold and beats down in huge angry drops so that instead of a gentle wash you get a series of icy whips lashing up and down your body. She's soaked in seconds: her hair sits limp and lifeless on her head, and her uniform clings to her body in the most uncomfortable way possible. And just across the way, there are those BlackSun heavies. They're no different from her. They're not!

But... there they are, nice and dry. Errant doesn't even get special treatment like this at HQ. Go away Euna, nobody wants you here. And she's just about to oblige the park and slink away when she catches the figure of @Sarahphim out of the corner of her eye. @Sarahphim, who is beautiful and perfect. @Sarahphim, who is loved by thousands. @SARAHPHIM, who is... dry.

And that really hurts. She's so caught up in the moment she doesn't really register it when the Shield gets blown out. Sara's already got her arm around on her shoulder before she notices the other girl is drenched too. Which is its own weird kind of unfair, because damn it Sara even gets rained on like a movie star. Errant's a drowned rat by comparison.

"Y-you should refer to her by her official criminal designation. Guidelines state that... that...

The dam breaks. Euna throws herself into Sara and buries her face in the other girl's shoulder. So soft. So warm, even in the rain.

"I, I, I, I almost got you killed!" she sobs, "I almost got everybody killed! A-a-and I stole something and I ran away from a perp and I, I said those horrible things to Victor and I... what is wrong with me? I'm never l-like th-this! I'm supposed to be the adult! I'm supposed to... I. I'm... so sorry I..."

People are definitely staring now. Go away world, Euna doesn't care right now.

[Errant is opening herself up to comfort. I believe she is also sharing a vulnerability or weakness right now, stay tuned]

[Thanqol]

Angel-IKA: *sniff*
Bode: Poor Errant. She's wearing a 2.5kg uniform that carries 5kg worth of rainwater.
Angel-IKA: In this city? o-o
Bode: It is extremely resistant to chemical weapons.
Angel-IKA: It looks really uncomfortable.
Bode: It is.
Angel-IKA: I really want to hug her.
Bode: We all do, Angel-IKA. Fortunately we have @Sarahphim to do it for us.

She pauses, sighing. She'd picked up the mannerism from Errant, and it fit remarkably well at times. At others, she felt like a puppet dancing on coded strings, to abuse a metaphor older than this city, with a painted on face that mimicked the people around her as best it can. This was one of that latter times. "Games need rules. There's no obligation to answer a given question, but we're trading answers. And please don't record or steam this." She pauses, before stepping forward off the conversational edge. "You have used a Rx fueled process to pull an alternate version of yourself to this timestream. How does that work, not technically speaking but practically? You overheard Sarahphim's concerns about my, well, existence. I must admit... concern."

"@Sarahphim took my stream offline," said Comstar. "It's just us right now!"

She frowned thoughtfully. "I think your question is really muddled and I'm not going to Literal Laura you and give you an informative but useless answer. I've read Dr. Gears' notebook, I've got some ideas - but I won't know for sure unless I get to crack open your ribs and take a long and loving look at your beating heart."

Comstar fell against you, putting her ear across your heart.

"I reeeeeckon that it didn't pull that new you out of an alternate reality like I did with my double," said Comstar. "I reckon it pulled it out of your core! I think that Dr. Gears came up with like... a hundred? A bunchery? A bunchery of different Ferras, stuffed them all into the same Rx core, and set the system to cycle between them when it needs to. So there's still your original version in your heart somewhere and if the system thinks it needs it it'll bring it out again!"

She sighed romantically against your chest. "So-oooo my question is... what would it take to get you to fall in love? With anyone?"

A dry grin spreads across Victor's face, and he rolls onto his back. "I live to disappoint, ma'am. And, putting aside the old ship of Theseus debate, that'd be because of a nanopulsar. You'll never guess which of your grandchildren gave it to Blacksun."

"Dearie, you called me on the phone while there are inert nanobots in your system? You are aware that if they were shut down by a signal they can be restarted by a signal? Ah my goddess, and he's out there too... do not cross any security cameras on your way home. Shut off any transponders and this call. You are still compromised, we need to completely flush your system."

[PhoeKun]

It's actually indulgent, how good a hug from Sara feels. Does she know how special she is? She must. She gets to feel things whenever she wants, just by touching them. She can make somebody else feel like this with nothing but her hands. Errant's don't work like that: her limbs feed sensory data into a program on her personal network so that she can tell when she's holding something or if a surface is hot or otherwise dangerous enough to cause damage, but it's like experiencing feelings by reading about them in a book. Plus, people are always complaining about how cold her handshakes are and-- oh. She awkwardly breaks away from the hug and tries to wipe the tears from her eyes, for all the good that really does in this rain.

"I, uh... um. Can I ask you something? Am I... a good leader? I've worked so hard, I was so proud to put on this uniform but I keep -- I mean, I don't even know if anybody... likes me. And I thought that if I could just get the job done I wouldn't care but I keep, uh, I mean. Yeah. So just... you know? I guess after today it doesn't matter. I'll probably get fired, or maybe if I'm really lucky just demoted but I'm already only an 'Agent' which pretty... jeez. Without AEGIS I'm not sure I even know what I am. What about you? They'd be nuts to do it, but if all your sponsors suddenly dropped you, do you think you'd be back out there fighting tomorrow? You would... right?"

[Raz_Fox]

You wanna know a secret? Sara hugs like a big sister. All confident, secure, and gently patting Euna on the back before realizing, oh no, don’t do that until she’s had some grafts. Reassuring squeezes are substituted, and a knowing smile.

This is to hide the fact that her inner monologue upon being hugged is “feelings???? she is having a lot of Feelings!! hold her until Feelings are resolved!!” Fake it til you make it, baby.

“Almost is for losers,” she says. “And you’re a pretty good leader. I mean, if I had the time and wanted to pay attention to what everyone’s doing, I’d be better, but you actually want to do it, so you should keep doing it. Like, Victor’s a born sub, and Ferra’s not programmed with tactical algorithms and junk, so if this team’s got a leader might as well be you. If I decide you’re doing a bad job, you’ll know, because I’ll be in charge then.” Her tone’s light, joking. Hard to tell if she actually means it. (She does.)

A pause. She squints off into the distance. “I will always have eyes on me,” she says, finally. “All the time. When they stop, I’ll blow the sky open to make them watch. I’ll fight the sun and win. Lucky me, they’re satisfied with watching me take out people who really deserve to get decked, so that’s a win-win.”

Is that a Cause? Good question. It’s more about her desire for attention- no, acknowledgement. I am here. Watch me. To tell you the truth, I think if everyone stopped watching, she’d just make the crime-fighting flashier. But it’s its own reward.

That worthy?

[Balmas]

"Dearie, you called me on the phone while there are inert nanobots in your system? You are aware that if they were shut down by a signal they can be restarted by a signal? Ah my goddess, and he's out there too... do not cross any security cameras on your way home. Shut off any transponders and this call. You are still compromised, we need to completely flush your system."

The connection closes, and Victor curses under his breath. Don't cross any security cameras, she says. Sure thing. And while he's doing that, he'll just avoid getting hit by raindrops. Probably be about as easy.

Distracted, he plucks off a thumb and begins to knead it into different shapes. No, don't worry. It'll be fine. Sure, Aegis won't take advantage of him while he's compromised. No, they've totally shown themselves to be trustworthy and caring. Marginally more so than Blacksun, but not by much.

So, how to make sure that they don't find out? That ship's probably sailed. Even if they haven't hacked into the bank's security camera, they'll have some intern watching @SARAHPHIM's stream. There's no such thing as privacy when a megacorp wants what you have.

...Unless.

Unless you have another megacorp to go to bat for you.

Brainstorm cringes, and pops his thumb back in place. Then, he walks to the parapet and starts to scan the ground. He and his son need to have a talk.

[Eldest]

"@Sarahphim took my stream offline," said Comstar. "It's just us right now!"

She frowned thoughtfully. "I think your question is really muddled and I'm not going to Literal Laura you and give you an informative but useless answer. I've read Dr. Gears' notebook, I've got some ideas - but I won't know for sure unless I get to crack open your ribs and take a long and loving look at your beating heart."

Comstar fell against you, putting her ear across your heart.

"I reeeeeckon that it didn't pull that new you out of an alternate reality like I did with my double," said Comstar. "I reckon it pulled it out of your core! I think that Dr. Gears came up with like... a hundred? A bunchery? A bunchery of different Ferras, stuffed them all into the same Rx core, and set the system to cycle between them when it needs to. So there's still your original version in your heart somewhere and if the system thinks it needs it it'll bring it out again!"

She sighed romantically against your chest. "So-oooo my question is... what would it take to get you to fall in love? With anyone?"

Ferra gently pushes away Comstar. "I'd rather not be cracked open." She ponders a moment, utterly still. "As for your question... what would it take for me to fall in love? How would I know what that is? My memory banks know about three primary types." She counts off on her fingers. "You have familial, platonic, and romantic. There's a bunch of others, but that's the best fit to what you're asking for. So, show me my family, my soulmate, or my partner? Show me how they feel to me."

She flings her arms to the sky, the world's largest shrug. "Or what, mix together a few different experiences into a patchwork cloak, and call that love? Friendship and reliance from my team? After what just happened? Awe at the best scientist of his age, who created me with all sorts of gimmicks, hidden tricks, and told me about none of them? Oh, and the wonder of a surrounding group of scientists, following in his wake, with me their prize project, the last, best gift of the man they don't quite worship? Your advances, when you want me for a prototype and a source of new tech, nothing more?"

Her fist lashes out, punching a cracked crater in the unfinished wall they were sitting by. "Does that sound like what you'd call love? What makes you think I can have that? I'm meant to protect and serve and have a friendly face to not freak anybody out. Why would I have the ability to be in love?"

She slumps. "That was twelve questions. You may pick any of them, if you want, or answer an implied one. If that counts as answering, that is."

[PhoeKun]

"Well. If nothing else, it's good to know I'm still the least worst option."

Errant folds her arms across her chest and sighs, but there's a hint of a smile on her face now, too.

"I am obligated to warn you that if you try to blow up the sun I'll have to stop you. But until that -- yes, yes, 'as if I could'. But until -- would you stop giving me that look? I could beat you if I had to! I so could! You don't even know what my best shot looks like! I could -- what no, don't laugh! You always do this! I'm trying to be serious! I'm trying to tell you that you're important! When people see you, they think that heroes didn't die out with the last generation! You make them look at us like something more than just CorpSec goons. Do you realize how, I just mean that if you, um. K-keep shining like you are, then I'll always..."

She falters. Her face is burning up again, and she tries to thumb away another tear from her eye. Would it have been so hard to be cool, Euna? You couldn't just say hey, I've got your back? Of course you couldn't. Then you wouldn't be you. She turns away to hide her face. Of course, there's a drone cloud about her so that doesn't really help, but if feels better in the moment.

"I... thank you. But we should, we should go. We need to finish processing Comstar, and I need to find Victor and apologize while it still means anything."

[Errant declares your cause worthy, @Sarahphim. Via this whole entanglement of events she is clearing Hopeless and marking Potential (and adding 1 Team to the pool, for what that's worth), earning an advance]

[Thanqol]

Ferraphim1tp: Shipping sense... tingling...
Dominus: WHAT WHERE
Bode: Obviously she's referring to this beautiful romantic moment we are currently witnessing.
Dominus: OH PLEASE
Ferraphim1tp: I don't know. I just feel like I'm missing something really important :T
Angel-IKA: *blows nose* I'm with Bode on this one.

*

So there's still forty plus BlackSun goons to deal with first - or, more likely, have a heroic last stand against. They've finished their prep, laid in their targeting, and have gone active. Perfectly synchronized covering advances begin, the heavy stomping of TAGs as they train their grenade launchers on the stairs of the bank, combat remotes skittering ahead to draw fire. They're crossing the park smoothly under the cover of rain, yellow armour glinting slick and professional through the wet.

And then they all abruptly halt.

A diminutive Japanese schoolgirl is standing in their way.

And everyone knows what that means.

Power armoured gloves clutch assault rifles awkwardly. A couple of Megagoons take a few steps back. In a move that's going to show up in a performance review, an invisible trooper de-cloaks with his hands up. The entire unit backs up, backs up further, and then packs themselves back into their yellow-black helicopters and fly away at a distinctly non-nonchalant pace.


And then she's in your face. And she mad. She mad five hundred muskets. She also made five hundred muskets and is hovering them all around you.

"WHY am I getting RAINED ON in MY OWN CITY?" snarls The Shogun. "I won't forgive this!"

The connection closes, and Victor curses under his breath. Don't cross any security cameras, she says. Sure thing. And while he's doing that, he'll just avoid getting hit by raindrops. Probably be about as easy.

Distracted, he plucks off a thumb and begins to knead it into different shapes. No, don't worry. It'll be fine. Sure, Aegis won't take advantage of him while he's compromised. No, they've totally shown themselves to be trustworthy and caring. Marginally more so than Blacksun, but not by much.

So, how to make sure that they don't find out? That ship's probably sailed. Even if they haven't hacked into the bank's security camera, they'll have some intern watching @SARAHPHIM's stream. There's no such thing as privacy when a megacorp wants what you have.

...Unless.

Unless you have another megacorp to go to bat for you.

Brainstorm cringes, and pops his thumb back in place. Then, he walks to the parapet and starts to scan the ground. He and his son need to have a talk.

Well, Ferra's right down there - having a moment with Comstar. You can listen in.

Ferra gently pushes away Comstar. "I'd rather not be cracked open." She ponders a moment, utterly still. "As for your question... what would it take for me to fall in love? How would I know what that is? My memory banks know about three primary types." She counts off on her fingers. "You have familial, platonic, and romantic. There's a bunch of others, but that's the best fit to what you're asking for. So, show me my family, my soulmate, or my partner? Show me how they feel to me."

She flings her arms to the sky, the world's largest shrug. "Or what, mix together a few different experiences into a patchwork cloak, and call that love? Friendship and reliance from my team? After what just happened? Awe at the best scientist of his age, who created me with all sorts of gimmicks, hidden tricks, and told me about none of them? Oh, and the wonder of a surrounding group of scientists, following in his wake, with me their prize project, the last, best gift of the man they don't quite worship? Your advances, when you want me for a prototype and a source of new tech, nothing more?"

Her fist lashes out, punching a cracked crater in the unfinished wall they were sitting by. "Does that sound like what you'd call love? What makes you think I can have that? I'm meant to protect and serve and have a friendly face to not freak anybody out. Why would I have the ability to be in love?"

She slumps. "That was twelve questions. You may pick any of them, if you want, or answer an implied one. If that counts as answering, that is."

"Wow, you're super overthinking this," said Comstar, seemingly breezily but her eyes are glued to the shattered segment of wall. "Like, I mean, the greatest piece of music ever created by humans opens with 'What Is Love?' and it's not like anyone came up with an answer since. If they had you'd be able to buy it wholesale from your local MegaMart. Here's the thing, though - if I ask that question to one of the robots I create it just links me to the top search result from Ask Jeeves."

Seamlessly, she grins and switches gears. "My turn! Which pocket does Errant put her ID badge in?"

[Eldest]

Ferra starts listening to the song, with it playing quite clearly (and, in fact, with wonderful sound quality) from her palms. She's staring blankly at the cracked wall as it rains, staying still until well after it autoplays into the next internet earworm. "That is... something to consider. Thank you. I believe that she has her ID in her back left pocket, though you know I will not let you lift it." Actually, on that note...

Ferraphim1tp: I don't know. I just feel like I'm missing something really important :T
Angel-IKA: *blows nose* I'm with Bode on this one.
==NotFerra joined the chat==
NotFerra: Please relay to Errant that she needs to switch her ID's location.

"So, my question to you then. Why do this? You have the chance for more constructive ways to have the spotlight on you. I fully believe that you could find something else to do if you wanted to, unless you had another reason to be a villain."

Lesson learned: "I am not a robot."

[Balmas]

Well, Ferra's right down there - having a moment with Comstar. You can listen in.

Ferra's down there. Alone with Comstar.

Which means either that @SARAHPHIM is in trouble and had to leave... or she left, and didn't come after him.

Victor smacks a fist against the parapet and wishes that he could feel the pain. Something to work into the next upgrade, perhaps.

[PhoeKun]

As the old saying goes, there's no better cure for what ails you than being threatened with 500 muskets. Errant snaps to attention in an instant and subtly positions herself to protect @Sarahphim as best she can. She also snaps into a salute without thinking about it. Left hand behind her back at the waist, right arm held out in front of her heart, bent at the elbow and parallel to the ground. This is not the correct greeting in front of The Shogun but it's the one she knows, gosh damn it.

"Apologies. I believe you will find ultimate fault lies with the Corporate Council, who talked you out of declaring war on Zeus Mark V last year. I am certain that with fewer malfunctioning weather satellites polluting the city you would presently be enjoying a more appropriately triumphant atmosphere, Miss."

[Raz_Fox]

"Apologies. I believe you will find ultimate fault lies with the Corporate Council, who talked you out of declaring war on Zeus Mark V last year. I am certain that with fewer malfunctioning weather satellites polluting the city you would presently be enjoying a more appropriately triumphant atmosphere, Miss."

@SARAHPHIM gives a cocky little sneer from behind Errant's shoulder. She's going for "dangerous and confident" but it's a little too smug for that. "And the more relevant fault lies with this shoddy two-bit celebrity criminal named Comstar. Blew the force field when she attacked the bank. No big, though, we took her down- her and her stream." She's fishing for a reaction here- either praise to bask in or being chewed out about how she's a loose cannon, either of which will go down well with her stream.

[Thanqol]

==NotFerra joined the chat==
NotFerra: Please relay to Errant that she needs to switch her ID's location.
Angel-IKA: Sure! I'll do that! How do I do that?
Ferraphim1tp: Uh, if she doesn't check the chat it's pretty hard. Sarah has a constant feed going but who knows how her mind works. .-.
Angel-IKA: Wait, why does she need to switch her ID's location?
Dominus: SOMEONE IS TRYING TO STEAL IT?
Locker: hmm. she must be talking to comstar.
Dominus: I DON'T FOLLOW THE LOGIC.
Locker: i think i might but idk yet.
Angel-IKA: So we can't warn her?
Ferraphim1tp: Well warning her would involve interrupting the shogun and that's probably more dangerous than whatever happens if she doesn't move it :T

Ferra starts listening to the song, with it playing quite clearly (and, in fact, with wonderful sound quality) from her palms. She's staring blankly at the cracked wall as it rains, staying still until well after it autoplays into the next internet earworm. "That is... something to consider. Thank you. I believe that she has her ID in her back left pocket, though you know I will not let you lift it." Actually, on that note...

"Heehee, it's cute you think you're smarter than me," said Comstar dreamily.

"So, my question to you then. Why do this? You have the chance for more constructive ways to have the spotlight on you. I fully believe that you could find something else to do if you wanted to, unless you had another reason to be a villain."

"Of course you'd ask that," said Comstar. "You don't know what it's like. @Sarahphim wouldn't ask that - she knows. She knows what it's like to have dozens... hundreds... thousands... tens of thousands of eyes on you. Watching your every move. Your every action scrutinized... your every mistake on raw display for everyone to judge, unfiltered..."

She was starting to breathe hard. Her face was flushed. Her hands clenched and unclenched in their cuffs.

"I feel like I'm going to die. There's so much pressure. So many people watching me. Needing to see what I'm going to do next. Humans are social animals, fear of exclusion and losing face triggers the same chemical processes as being confronted by a sabre tooth tiger. It's a rush. There's nothing like it. And the more people... when it goes from just reading an online chat to seeing people recognize you in the street. Catching eyes and seeing recognition in them... fear, judgement, sick curiosity..." she made a little whining sound. "How could anything else compare? To being the centre? To riding the wave of that much fear? Every bad thing I did just made the number go up, and up." She was biting her lip. "I know I'm a pervert. But I'm not alone. One day @Sarahphim will realize that she can spike her viewer count by going villainous. Ohh... no, she knows. She knows already and is planning it out. Setting up for the ultimate heel turn. She's an addict like me, there's no way she isn't thinking it, waiting for her moment. She's just got more patience."

Ferra's down there. Alone with Comstar.

Which means either that @SARAHPHIM is in trouble and had to leave... or she left, and didn't come after him.

Victor smacks a fist against the parapet and wishes that he could feel the pain. Something to work into the next upgrade, perhaps.

So, Victor, you're hanging from a cold and wet and raining rooftop, soaked to the bone, spying on a cute girl confess her fetish to not-a-robot. This your idea of a good time?

If so, carry on.

As the old saying goes, there's no better cure for what ails you than being threatened with 500 muskets. Errant snaps to attention in an instant and subtly positions herself to protect @Sarahphim as best she can. She also snaps into a salute without thinking about it. Left hand behind her back at the waist, right arm held out in front of her heart, bent at the elbow and parallel to the ground. This is not the correct greeting in front of The Shogun but it's the one she knows, gosh damn it.

"Apologies. I believe you will find ultimate fault lies with the Corporate Council, who talked you out of declaring war on Zeus Mark V last year. I am certain that with fewer malfunctioning weather satellites polluting the city you would presently be enjoying a more appropriately triumphant atmosphere, Miss."

Some of the muskets go away, in the same manner that tension releases when someone changes their posture. "Why are you saluting and not bowing? Even a Korean should know more manners than that," she sniffs haughtily.

@SARAHPHIM gives a cocky little sneer from behind Errant's shoulder. She's going for "dangerous and confident" but it's a little too smug for that. "And the more relevant fault lies with this shoddy two-bit celebrity criminal named Comstar. Blew the force field when she attacked the bank. No big, though, we took her down- her and her stream." She's fishing for a reaction here- either praise to bask in or being chewed out about how she's a loose cannon, either of which will go down well with her stream.

"Oh really?" said The Shogun. "Then where is this criminal? I don't suppose you were so incompetent that you let her destroy my rain shield and let her get away?"

For all her bluster, and despite the fact that she's an interdimensional immortal perpetually in the body and mindset of a teenager, the Shogun is starting to shiver as her clothes soak through. I mean, you're all cold and soaking wet and this entire scene is deeply unpleasant for everyone involved.

[PhoeKun]

Errant looks at The Shogun with all of the shocked sadness of a puppy that just got slapped in the face. There she was, Errant's superhero idol: she'd dreamed of meeting like this after a mission. And... three she was, being mean and racist straight to her face. And that's after she waved hundreds of muskets right at her! It's like Christmas came early just so that she could learn there's no such thing as Santa. She awkwardly drops out of her salute and her posture briefly slumps before she snaps to and returns to Attention. K-keep it professional, Euna. She's old. Sort of. Not really. Kind of? She's from a different time, the standards were different. Also she's rich, she's probably not used to being rained on...

"With respect Miss, with the Limited Rain Shield down this location is poorly suited to someone of your, um," don't look down don't look down don't look down don't say it don't, "Stature."

Crap. Errant clears her throat. Keep going and she won't notice. Keep going and she won't --

"...If you are insisting on a full debriefing at this time, may I suggest the cafe located half a block south of this park? It would be warmer, and online reviews say their chai is well beyond the level of quality their prices would otherwise suggest."

[Balmas]

So, Victor, you're hanging from a cold and wet and raining rooftop, soaked to the bone, spying on a cute girl confess her fetish to not-a-robot. This your idea of a good time?

If so, carry on.

Nnnnnope. Nope, nosirree, not interested, donezo, out, gone, fleeing the scene, were never here. He's pulling a Joseph and getting the hell out of Potiphar's bed, because if there's something he wants, the thought of Comstar's exhibitionism is not it.

No, this is what's going to happen. He's going to march down to where Ferra and Comstar--No, that's not what's going to happen, because that involves awkward questions and also being in the same room as Comstar, which means that his ears probably burn off his head from blushing. What he wants is to go back to the van, and strip as much tech as possible out of it, gear up on electronics, and see if he can't build a signal blocker. He has to talk to Prometheus, figure out what the hell he wants, and he's sure as hell not going to do that when Prometheus can get him back on the ground and writhing with a thought.

[Raz_Fox]

"...If you are insisting on a full debriefing at this time, may I suggest the cafe located half a block south of this park? It would be warmer, and online reviews say their chai is well beyond the level of quality their prices would otherwise suggest."

"If we're going," @SARAHPHIM mumbles in an attempt to evade the Shogun's sharp ears, "we should have the other half of the team meet us there. With Commy in tow."

[PhoeKun]

Errant frowns and very nearly swallows her tongue, but does eventually nod and brings a finger up to her ear.

"Ferra... Brainstorm, be advised: @Sarahphim and I are currently being questioned by The Shogun," she takes a deep breath before continuing, "If you can, please rendezvous with us and bring B-- um, Comstar. Thank you. Coordinates follow..."

[Eldest]

"Heehee, it's cute you think you're smarter than me," said Comstar dreamily.

"Of course you'd ask that," said Comstar. "You don't know what it's like. @Sarahphim wouldn't ask that - she knows. She knows what it's like to have dozens... hundreds... thousands... tens of thousands of eyes on you. Watching your every move. Your every action scrutinized... your every mistake on raw display for everyone to judge, unfiltered..."

She was starting to breathe hard. Her face was flushed. Her hands clenched and unclenched in their cuffs.

"I feel like I'm going to die. There's so much pressure. So many people watching me. Needing to see what I'm going to do next. Humans are social animals, fear of exclusion and losing face triggers the same chemical processes as being confronted by a sabre tooth tiger. It's a rush. There's nothing like it. And the more people... when it goes from just reading an online chat to seeing people recognize you in the street. Catching eyes and seeing recognition in them... fear, judgement, sick curiosity..." she made a little whining sound. "How could anything else compare? To being the centre? To riding the wave of that much fear? Every bad thing I did just made the number go up, and up." She was biting her lip. "I know I'm a pervert. But I'm not alone. One day @Sarahphim will realize that she can spike her viewer count by going villainous. Ohh... no, she knows. She knows already and is planning it out. Setting up for the ultimate heel turn. She's an addict like me, there's no way she isn't thinking it, waiting for her moment. She's just got more patience."

Ferra opens her mouth to protest, Sara isn't anything like Comstar... but pauses a moment. She'd been wrong several times today. Perhaps a moment to think it over would be wise first.

"Ferra... Brainstorm, be advised: @Sarahphim and I are currently being questioned by The Shogun," she takes a deep breath before continuing, "If you can, please rendezvous with us and bring B-- um, Comstar. Thank you. Coordinates follow..."

She quirks her head to the side as she receives the message. "We must cut our game short, unfortunately. Do you have a last question for me, before we meet yet another celebrity it seems?" She'd accessed Dr. Gears' notes on The Shogun. He did not get along with The Shogun.